Monday, October 10, 2011

GUYANA | 2012 Meet the Misses e.4 - Miss Guyana 2011/2012

Guyana lies between Suriname, Brazil and Venezuela. It is the only English speaking country in South America and covers an area of 83,000 square miles. Guyana has three distinct geographical zones: the coastal belt, the forested and mountainous regions and the savannas. The coastal belt accounts for 4% of the land mass in Guyana and is where 90% of the country's population is found. From the coast, the landscape rises to the mountain ranges and high plateaus, an area rich in minerals that spawned the age-old belief that Guyana is the site of El Dorado, the lost city of gold. Further south are the savannas, the North and South Rupununi. Guyana, an Amerindian word meaning Land of Many Waters has numerous rivers and waterways. The three main rivers are Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice. The Essequibo River is South America's third-largest with a mouth of 20 miles long and runs the entire length of Guyana. All three of the rivers finish in the Atlantic which stretches for 270 miles along Northern Guyana. At 215,000 square kilometers, Guyana is the third-smallest independent state of South America. More than 80% of Guyana is still covered by forests, ranging from dry evergreen and seasonal forests to montane and lowland evergreen rain forests. Guyana boasts more than 300 glorious waterfalls including several of the world's highest waterfalls such as the magnificent Kaieteur Falls which is the world's largest single-drop waterfall. Other notable waterfalls are the King George VI Falls and the King Edward VIII Falls. The nation debuted in Miss World 1966 and finished in second place in 1967. Arti Angelita Cameron, Miss Guyana 2011, will represent her country in Miss World 2011.

The Times of Beautyproudly presents Arti Angelita Cameron, Miss Guyana 2011, in an exclusive interview for our interview series, Meet the Misses.

1. Give us an introduction of yourself.

I consider myself a realistic dreamer who is down to earth, honest, very determined, and hard working. I also view myself as a passionate person. I am passionate about life, passionate about achieving the goals I set for myself, and especially passionate about making a difference in the world and helping others.

2. Tell us a bit more about your country and hometown.

I see Guyana as a gem of a country. Most of our land is untouched, pristine rain forest which most of the world is unaware of. Our people are warm, friendly and welcoming. I am from a small, bustling little town called Kitty located within the capital of my country, Georgetown. Residents of Kitty originated from different regions of my country. This adds to the diversity and wonderful character of my neighborhood.

3. What does it mean to you to represent your country at the 62nd Miss World finals?

The people of Guyana have put great hope in and hold high expectations for me, and it is an extraordinary honor for me to represent my country and my people. Participating at the Miss World will allow me to achieve a childhood dream which was to win Miss Guyana World and showcase at the international level the beauty of Guyana and our people.

4. If you have to choose a song to describe yourself, which would you choose and why?

If I were to choose a song to describe myself my choice would be, I Am Woman by Helen Reddy because it describes a woman who has made mistakes--but learned from them, been affected by situations or people but who uses these experiences to gain strength and never gives up on achieving a set goal. The song describes a maturing woman who has come a long way but who still has a long way to go in life.

5. How would you describe a typical day in your life?

Since I have completed my Bachelor’s Degree last June, I have adopted a rigorous schedule which has allowed me to organize my days accordingly. The first thing I do in the mornings is meditate for a few minutes. I quickly review what goals I need to achieve for that day. I usually spend a few hours researching important information about applying to medical schools since my next step is to write Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) before the application process. After that, I check my emails before I do some chores around the house, cook and then get prepared for dance rehearsal. The gym is usually the last place I visit before I am home again. I have dinner, check my emails once more, have dinner, and watch an episode of a sitcom before heading to bed. On the days I don’t have dance rehearsals, I spend more time in the gym and use my extra free time to spend quality time with my friends and family.

6. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

I see myself practicing medicine, and traveling to some of the most vulnerable parts of the world to volunteer my services and contribute to the betterment of the lives of others.

7. Which well known person from your country you most admire and why?

I most admire Dave Martin of the Tradewinds fame. He is a musician who I feel has been able to playfully and correctly depict and highlight the Guyanese culture and way of life. When I listen to his music, it feels like I am rediscovering my own culture and I find myself laughing out loud quite often.

8. If you had to choose any other country to live in, which one would you choose and why?

Jamaica, it is like a second home to me. I lived there as a little girl and remember having memorable moments in our small apartment in Savanna-La Mar, Westmoreland. Jamaica provided a warm, comforting place for me when I was away from my country and the spirit of the people and the culture have captured my heart for ever.

9. After the Sendai Earthquake, nuclear energy has become a focus of attention. Are you in favor or against the use of this kind of energy as a way to reduce the dependence on oil?

I see nuclear energy as a great resource which we can use to produce reliable and low cost energy for a world growing exponentially. Oil and coal, which we have been using for many years as our primary source of energy have been detrimental to our environment, producing high carbon dioxide emissions. Nuclear energy brings a cleaner and much more sustainable source of energy, consequently contributing to the global fight against climate change. However, nuclear plants could sometimes be very dangerous when not properly monitored, and can prove extremely detrimental during natural disasters as they emit high level of radiation if they become damaged. This year’s nuclear meltdown in Sendai was indeed a tragic reminder of the risks involved in utilizing this form of energy.

For nuclear energy to become a prominent resource of energy in the future, I believe that a focus should be placed on the issues of safety and nuclear waste disposal. Countries need to invest more in a research-based approach to not only guide them in developing stronger monitoring and safety guidelines for their nuclear plants, but to also develop sustainable systems for dealing with nuclear byproducts which could remain harmful for thousands of years. I am in favor of the use of nuclear energy provided that necessary measures are taken to ensure that the health of the environment and people are preserved.

10. What do you think is the worst kind of human injustice or prejudice happening now?

Gender based inequality reinforced by a lack of appreciation and respect for women as a significant part of the human race is, to me, the worst kind of injustice and prejudice which has been and is still happening today. Women in many parts of the world are not valued and are in many instances seen as burdens of their families. These unjust social norms have significantly crippled the social development and empowerment of many women across the globe. What saddens me the most is to see that quite often, women are denied access to education, an opportunity to earn an income, a chance to be independent--and in many cases, the right to live (as is the case with female fetus abortion in India).

11. What are your duties as Miss Guyana?

My duties as Miss Guyana is to proudly represent my country as a national ambassador. Since my crowning, I have taken on the responsibility of being a role model for young Guyanese girls and a symbol of empowerment for especially abused women across Guyana. When I was asked to be the patron of the Ruimveldt Children’s Aid Center (a small children center in Georgetown that seeks to provide a safe, nurturing, and children-friendly environment for vulnerable youth from the surrounding community), I committed myself to improving its lamentable conditions and extending its capacity to meet the needs of the children they seek to serve. For the past few months, I have been dedicating my energies to reaching out to several organizations and members of the business community.

12. What role can social media (ex. Facebook, Twitter, etc) play in the life of a beauty pageant titleholder?

Social media can play a significant role in the life of a beauty pageant titleholder by providing a platform in which she can bring more attention to and awareness of specific social issues she is passionate about.

I believe that social media can play a very significant role in the life of a beauty pageant titleholder because it provides the perfect way for her to connect with people, share her thoughts on issues she is passionate about, lend her voice to social issues, spark intelligent and constructive discussions, as well as attain various views on specific topics. Through social media, the titleholder can also show people that she is a regular human being whose life is not picture-perfect (as some stereotypes may suggest) but whose life is instead filled with challenges, victories, failures and learning experiences--just like the lives of everyone else.

13. What does it mean to be a human being?

To be a human being means, in my opinion, to always have the right to life and freedom. It means that I have the right to achieve the highest of my potential without any discrimination or prejudice hindering my path. Being a human being also means you have responsibilities, especially toward humanity and to the less fortunate. You must ensure that your fellow humans are given equal respect, and equal opportunity to guarantee the progression of the entire human race and betterment for the future generations.

14. What do you feel is your purpose in life?

My purpose in life, I believe, is to serve humanity. Since I was a little girl, what gave me the greatest sense of satisfaction was taking advantage of the opportunity to help others. Trying my best to help those in need always gave my life fulfillment and a joy that I find invigorating. I just think that doing all I can to change a situation or someone’s life for the better, makes my life a lot more meaningful.

15. Share a message to your supporters and readers of The Times of Beauty.

To my supporters and readers of The Times of Beauty, I would like to say thank you. To my supporters, thank you for your encouragement, best wishes and most of all, thank you for believing in me. To the readers, thank you for taking the time out to get to know me a little more. I will continue working hard to exceed your highest expectations of me.

and finally...

Personal Motto: It is best to try and fail, than to fail to try.

Personal Goal: To be the best person I can be for myself, for my loved ones, for the world.

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